After first Doxil ca125 jumped

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nancy591
nancy591 Member Posts: 1,027 Member
edited March 2014 in Ovarian Cancer #1
I know I read here in the past about Doxil and ca125. I guess I am looking for reassurance. Before starting Doxil my ca125 was 15. Normal I know but I had a positive biopsy on my colon. 3 wks after my first dose my ca125 jumped to 30. Now it was drawn at a different lab so I will take that into consideration but I'm not happy about the 15 point jump. I just had my 3rd dose today and my ca125 was drawn prior infusion. Didn't I read on here that your ca125 may jump before it goes down. Is that really, really true or just words of reassurance? I'm not too concerned about it but it is nagging me.

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  • arbor3
    arbor3 Member Posts: 103
    #2
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    CA125 jump
    Hi Nancy

    Yes on a couple of my Chemo treatments my CA 125 jumped and then started going. When I started Gemzar in Nov 2009 My CA125 went up and down for 3 rounds. This is what is so great about this site, it is so nice to hear from someone who has experienced the chemo. I have had my mind eased because of the words of reassurance. My DR has switched me to TOPOTECAN and I needed reassurance, which I got from this site.

    HUGS!!!!!!!!!!!!!Dinora
  • kayandok
    kayandok Member Posts: 1,202 Member
    #3
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    doxil
    Nancy, sorry to hear about the 15 point jump. I had heard also that doxil is slow to work sometimes. Mine showed immediate drops and then leveled off at 132. I have more than a few tumors though, I think.
    Any side effects from the doxil?
    Hugs,
    kathleen:)
  • nancy591
    nancy591 Member Posts: 1,027 Member
    #4
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    kayandok said:

    doxil
    Nancy, sorry to hear about the 15 point jump. I had heard also that doxil is slow to work sometimes. Mine showed immediate drops and then leveled off at 132. I have more than a few tumors though, I think.
    Any side effects from the doxil?
    Hugs,
    kathleen:)

    side effects
    Hi, thanks for the response. My ca125 prior to my third infusion was 23. This latest ca125 was done at my regular lab so I'm interested to know what my 2nd level would have been if drawn at my regular lab. It is so scary...ugh. I never had my level go up during treatment. I think Bonnie had once responded to a post that the level can go up initially with Doxil.
    I know you asked previously what my dose was. I was given 40squared for my first two doses 3 weeks apart. Are you 3 wks apart? When I went yesterday the guidlines suggested I either get a lower dose or wait one more week for treatment because of my side effects. We drive almost 2hrs to the cancer center so I opted for the lower dose which was at 30squared. Now I think I should have insisted on the 40squared because I don't think my sideffects were bad at all. I showed the rash on my legs, trunk and chest. It looks yucky but it doesn't bother me too much. I also mentioned the sore spot on my foot that went away. The last thing I mentioned was my mouthsores which all but one resolved. The oral rinse they ordered for me is Gelclair. It takes awful but worked. I am having a Petscan in 2wks and my 3rd dose is scheduled for the following week. The decision now is to give me 40squared every 4 weeks instead of every 3 weeks. I really feel ok though.
  • kayandok
    kayandok Member Posts: 1,202 Member
    #5
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    nancy591 said:

    side effects
    Hi, thanks for the response. My ca125 prior to my third infusion was 23. This latest ca125 was done at my regular lab so I'm interested to know what my 2nd level would have been if drawn at my regular lab. It is so scary...ugh. I never had my level go up during treatment. I think Bonnie had once responded to a post that the level can go up initially with Doxil.
    I know you asked previously what my dose was. I was given 40squared for my first two doses 3 weeks apart. Are you 3 wks apart? When I went yesterday the guidlines suggested I either get a lower dose or wait one more week for treatment because of my side effects. We drive almost 2hrs to the cancer center so I opted for the lower dose which was at 30squared. Now I think I should have insisted on the 40squared because I don't think my sideffects were bad at all. I showed the rash on my legs, trunk and chest. It looks yucky but it doesn't bother me too much. I also mentioned the sore spot on my foot that went away. The last thing I mentioned was my mouthsores which all but one resolved. The oral rinse they ordered for me is Gelclair. It takes awful but worked. I am having a Petscan in 2wks and my 3rd dose is scheduled for the following week. The decision now is to give me 40squared every 4 weeks instead of every 3 weeks. I really feel ok though.

    doxil
    Glad to hear your side effects are not too bad. Mine started as a bearable rash and slight feet sore spots after 2nd dose, and slowly built up and got worse after the 4th dose. Are your rashes all cleared up before the next dose? My Seattle doc told me that should be the goal, so the rashes/blisters are not cumulative. Glad the oral rinse is working for your cold sores.
    Will be interesting to see the PET.
    Take care,
    Kathleen:)
  • NancyC
    NancyC Member Posts: 10
    #6
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    kayandok said:

    doxil
    Glad to hear your side effects are not too bad. Mine started as a bearable rash and slight feet sore spots after 2nd dose, and slowly built up and got worse after the 4th dose. Are your rashes all cleared up before the next dose? My Seattle doc told me that should be the goal, so the rashes/blisters are not cumulative. Glad the oral rinse is working for your cold sores.
    Will be interesting to see the PET.
    Take care,
    Kathleen:)

    doxil
    My CA125 when up after my first Doxil treatment, then started going down each time after that. I had my 6 Doxil treatment on Feb 2nd. I current receive treatment every 4 weeks.
  • Lisa13Q
    Lisa13Q Member Posts: 677
    #7
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    No Freaking out
    It is absolutely true that different labs return differing results. That's #1. Number 2, CA-125 can jump with any inflammation. I do not have Ovarian cancer and my CA-125 is 45. You are still within normal range. Easy for me to say, "don't freak", but don't freak on this. Give the doxil time, and use the same lab if possible. It really does make a difference.
  • BonnieR
    BonnieR Member Posts: 1,526 Member
    #8
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    me too
    Hi Nancy, My ca125 jumped also and think it was the 3rd treatment that finally brought it down and it continued to drop from there. In fact I got to take 3 months off from chemo after the doxil, which doesnt' happen too often. Hugs ♥ Prayers Bonnie
  • Susan523
    Susan523 Member Posts: 231 Member
    #9
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    My CA went up w/Taxol/Carbo+Avastin... don't panic
    Hi, Nancy,

    I just finished 6 rounds of Taxol/Carbo + Avastin.
    The lab I use has a CA "Normal" scale of 3.5-17.0

    Right before this T/C/A round, I was treated with Gemzar, which
    never got me into the "normal" range; the closest I got was 18.0
    That was in June, and in August I was hospitalized, as my abdomen
    filled with fluid and I was completely dehydrated. They drained
    the fluid and sent me home; only to have it come back in a couple
    of weeks. So, hospitalized again around Labor Day, I was full of
    fluid, which they drained, and then started chemo immediately.
    At this point, I had dropped 25lbs (I am 5'4"). Too thin.

    My CA continuted to go UP for the 1st 3 treatments. (Unfortunately,
    nobody drew a CA test before the chemo was started, so I don't know
    my exact starting point. They started this round of treatments while
    I was in the hospital). After my 1st treatment, I was at 53.5
    After #2, CA 62.5. Then after 3rd treatment, 71.7 !! My CA was going
    UP instead of DOWN!!! Ahhhhh!!!!

    By this point, I was really starting to FREAK! I asked my Dr,
    "shouldn't we try somthing else?" and he said no, that we'd wait another
    treatment. Well, Treatment #4 did the 'magic', and my finally
    CA dropped to 29.7. Still not in the "normal" range, but a drop!!

    I received treatment #5 in January, and that brought my CA down
    (finally!) into the 'normal' range, at 11.9

    I had my last treatment on the 10th of Feb, and will be getting another
    CA next week. I'm just hoping & praying it stays in the 'normal' range,
    and that it may even go lower.

    So see; I truly thought things were looking hopeless in the 'CA' department,
    but it does sometimes take it's sweet time to work, so hang in there.

    (((hugs)))
    ~Susan

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